Film-controlled contact device



FILM CONTROLLED CONTACT DEVICE Filed March 5, 1928 InvenTor- J cob Tschopp,

- Patented-Feb. I1, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT rice JACOB TSCHOPP, OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COM'PANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK FEM-CONTROLLED CONTACT DEVICE I Application filed March 5,

My invention relates to contact devices adapted to be actuated by a moving In apparatus for producing motion pictures or for reproducing sounds from film records it is sometimes desirable to operate auxiliary the passage of each notch. A disadvantage.

of such a device is that in the event of the breakage of the film4-while the maphme s running or when the end of the film is reached, the contact device will be operated and cause an unintentional firing of the guns.

It is the object of my invention to provide a contact device of this character which Wlll close a circuit in response to the passageof a pre-arranged notch in the film but WhlCll will be inoperative when the film runs out or breaks.

My invention will be'better understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, and

' its scopewill be pointed out 1n the appended claims.

In the single figure of the drawing which is partly structural and partly diagrammatic, a portion of a motion plcture film 1 is shown having the notch 2 in one edge thereof WhlCh through contact devices to be described later controls in the present case apparatus to simulate the firing of a rapid fire gun. The apparatus illustrated comprises means for alternately charging a condenser 'and discharging it into a loud speaker. The loud speaker shown diagrammatically at- 3 has circuit connections 4 with the double condenser 5,, the switch 6 and the rectifier 7 connectedto the alternating current source 8. Oper-,

ating from the same alternating current 1928. Serial H0. 259,360.

source is the motor 1O driving the cam ll'which engaging the switch arm 6 causes the switch alternately to connectthe condenser 5 to the charging circuit and to the loud speaker. Control of the loud speaker is effected through the relay 12 in the condenser charging circuit, the winding of the relay being in the control circuit 14. In this circuit is the battery 15 the first contact device 16 and the second contact device 17 e0 arranged in series. Contact device 16 comprises the fixed contact member 19 and the cooperating pivoted contact member 20. Attached to an arm of member 20 is one end of'the rod, 21 which terminates at the other as end in the roller 22 the compression spring 23 being provided between the base 24: and the collar 25 on the rod. Contact device 17 comprises the two springs 27 engaging oppositesides ofthe movable block 28 car ried at the end of the rod 29 which like rod 21 has the roller 30 and has the compression spring 31. The two rollers are spaced apart slightly and both engage the notched edge of the film. The first contact device is ad- 7 justed to remain open when there is no notch opposite its roller but too close when its roller drops into a notch. The second contact device has its contact block of such length that the control circuit is not interrupted when its roller drops into a notch but if the roller should move further than the depth of an ordinary notch, the insulation portion 33 on the end of block 28 would open the control circuit at that point. To hold the film firmly in place and to prevent its buckling where it passes the rollers 22 and 30 I have provided the rollers 35 and 36 between which the film is drawn. Roller 35 has the flange 37 to take the thrust of the springs 23' and 31. As the film passes in the direction indicated bv the arrow the arrival of each notch 2 causes the control cir-- cuit to be closed during the passageof the notch at which time the successive discharges of the condenser 5 into the loud speaker represent the firing of a rapid fire gun, it being understood that the switch 6 is operated at the p operspeed for such a simulation. When the film is entirely unwound and 1 While I have shown anddescribed my in vention as arranged to control a noise making apparatus it is to be understood. that its use is not limited to such apparatus but has many other applications. It may for exam le beused when a sound record is being recor ed on one film while a motion picture is being projected from another film. In order to be it'is' desired to rint the two records on a sin le film the picture film may be provided .wit one or more notches. The controlcircuit will then cause the actuation of a shutter in the sound recorder, thus producing photogra hically on the sound record film an identi ying mark corresponding in relative position on the sound record film to the I so notch on thepicture record film.

I have chosen the particular embodiment described above as illustrative of my invention and it will be apparent that various 'modi fications may be made without departing so from the spirit and scope of my invention which modifications I-a1m to cover by the appended claims. What I claim as new andv desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In combination, a film having an irregular edge, a control circuit, a contact device therein having a controlling m'ember engaging said irregular edge, and a second member en aging said irregular edge constructed an arranged to'render said contact device inefiective under predetermined film 7 conditions: i

2. In combination, a film having an irregut-herein aving a controlling member en-,

gagin said irre ular edge, and a second con-- tact evice in circuit with said first device havin a controllin member engagin said engaging said edge or renderin saidcontact device inefiective on said circuit upon a discontinuance of the film.

; 4. In combination a film 66 formed in the edge th able properly to match up the two films when prising a member adjacent said guide and laredgeila control circuit, a contact dBVlCG edge or rendering-t e first device ine ective having notches, erect, a control circuit,';

a contact device therein having a controlling member arranged to engage the edge of the film whereby the circuit is closed by the passage of a notch, a second contact device in series with said first device having a controlling member also engaging the'edge of the film, said second contact device being arranged to remain closed during the passage of the notched film and to open the circuit in response to a cessation of the film.

5. In combination, a film having notches formed in one edge thereof, a control circuit, a contact device for closing said circuit having a spring pressed controlling member arranged to engage the notched edge of .the film, a second contact device in series with said first device having a spring pressed controlling member spaced from said first controlling member and arranged to engage the successive portions of the notched edge of the film irior thereto, and means for preventing buc ling of the film by said controlling members, said second contact device being arranged to open the control circuit when released by'the passage of an end of the film.

' 6. In combination, means adapted to guidea film having a notched edge, a' pluralityof contact devices connected in series, operating means for one of said contact devices com- 05 adapted to engage the notched edge of said. film to cause said device to close in response to the passage of a notch in the film," and operating means for the other of said contact devices comprising a member arranged to engage the notched edge of said film adjacent said first'member, said other contact device being constructed normally to remain closed and to be opened by its 0. crating member upon a discontinuance oft 'e film. 5

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 3rd day of March, 1928.

- JACOB TSCHOIP. 

